TerraPower Isotopes announced that it is now commercially producing Actinium-225 (Ac-225) at scale, providing the global pharmaceutical community with a consistent supply of this rare isotope for use in targeted cancer therapies. The company's Ac-225 is currently being used by multiple drug developers in human clinical trials around the world.
Production and Purity
According to Scott Claunch, President of TerraPower Isotopes, this scale-up in production capacity marks a new chapter in cancer treatment options. TerraPower Isotopes utilizes a natural decay method to produce Ac-225 free of isotopic impurities, increasing the efficiency and automation of the process. This enables the company to provide a significant and consistent supply of the isotope to the market.
Targeted Alpha Therapy
Ac-225 is used as a starting material for research and development of advanced, targeted cancer treatments, specifically in drug trials involving targeted alpha therapy (TAT). The isotope can be attached to a molecule that selectively targets and delivers Ac-225 to the cancer site, potentially treating diseases such as prostate, breast, colon, and neuroendocrine cancers, melanoma, and lymphoma. Once developed and approved, Ac-225-labeled drug products can destroy cancerous tissue with minimal damage to nearby healthy cells.
Collaboration and Supply Chain
TerraPower Isotopes collaborates with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management and Isotek Systems, LLC to increase the supply of Ac-225. This is achieved by harvesting the isotope from thorium-229 decay, which is derived from legacy U.S. nuclear material, Uranium-233, through an innovative public-private partnership. This collaboration reduces the cost associated with the disposal of Uranium-233 while ensuring a secure supply chain for the Ac-225 isotope.
